--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thus we do disagreeable things, but we…" description: "\"“Thus we do disagreeable things, but we are defensive. That, I think, is still fair. We do disagreeable things so that ordinary people here and elsewhe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/john-le-carre-651_disagreeable_thus-we-do-disagreeable-things-but-we-ar_2952736.jpg" --- # Thus we do disagreeable things, but we are defensive… ![“Thus we do disagreeable things, but we are defensive. That, I think, is still fair. We do disagreeable things so that ordinary people here and elsewhere can sleep safely in their beds at night. Is that too romantic? Of course, we occasionally do very wicked things”; he grinned like a schoolboy…” quote by John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/john-le-carre-651_disagreeable_thus-we-do-disagreeable-things-but-we-ar_2952736.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/john-le-carre-651_disagreeable_thus-we-do-disagreeable-things-but-we-ar_2952736.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/john-le-carre-651_disagreeable_thus-we-do-disagreeable-things-but-we-ar_2952736.jpg) > ““Thus we do disagreeable things, but we are defensive. That, I think, is still fair. We do disagreeable things so that ordinary people here and elsewhere can sleep safely in their beds at night. Is that too romantic? Of course, we occasionally do very wicked things”; he grinned like a schoolboy. “And in weighing up the moralities, we rather go in for dishonest comparisons; after all, you can’t compare the ideals of one side with the methods of the other, can you, now?”” [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral compromises are justified to protect the many, though they blur ethical lines. **In simple terms:** Ends may justify means. Key Takeaway Question ethical limits. Themes ethics politics war Mood cynical reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - intelligence work - policy decisions - conflict zones Key Concepts realpolitik utilitarianism moral relativism Questions to Reflect On - Is it ever truly fair? - What are the hidden costs? A Different Perspective Moral ambiguity can erode trust and integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disagreeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagreeable/) [Disagreeable Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagreeable-things-254126/) [Fair Disagreeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair-disagreeable-4458329/) [Moralities Dishonest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moralities-dishonest-4458330/) [Weighing Moralities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weighing-moralities-4458331/) ## Related quotes > [Though there are some disagreeable things in Venice there is nothing so disagreeable as the visitors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/though-there-are-some-disagreeable-things-in-venice-there-is-nothing/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [As we can not love what is hateful, let us accustom ourselves neither to think nor to speak of disagreeable things and persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/as-we-can-not-love-what-is-hateful-let-us-accustom-ourselves-neither/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) > [“Sir Thomas, indeed, was, by this time, not very far from classing Mrs. Norris as one of those well–meaning people who are always doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/sir-thomas-indeed-was-by-this-time-not-very-far-from-classing-mrs/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Peace in this life springs from acquiescence even in disagreeable things, not in an exemption from bearing them. 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They're the whores and angels of our striving selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/ideologies-have-no-heart-of-their-own-they-re-the-whores-and-angels/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Home's where you go when you run out of homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/home-s-where-you-go-when-you-run-out-of-homes/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“Pain observed is journalistic pain. It's diplomatic pain. It's television pain, over as soon as you switch off your beastly set.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/pain-observed-is-journalistic-pain-it-s-diplomatic-pain-it-s/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The greatest threat to mankind comes from the renunciation of individual scruple in favor of institutional denominators. . . . 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